Just hours before Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft kicked off from Nashville, Tennessee, a report from Pro Football Talk suggested the San Francisco 49ers were shopping third-year pro defensive end Solomon Thomas on the trade market.
It made some sense, given the Niners were likely to grab a defensive lineman with their first pick in the draft, which ended up being used on Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa at No. 2 overall. Doing so was going to create a bit of a logjam on an already-crowded defensive line with limited snaps available. And with Thomas having struggled a bit over the past two years after being selected No. 3 overall by the 49ers in the 2017 draft, one can see how the rumors might have a bit of a base.
According to general manager John Lynch, however, those reports were unfounded.
"It's not accurate," Lynch told the media following the team's selection of Bosa. "We usually don't respond to every one of these rumors that happens in today's world. I had Solly up in my office today, and we just talked exactly where he is.
"He's a big part of our team right now. We're extremely excited about moving forward with him."
Lynch also mentioned the need to stay fresh, which should get a bit easier now, considering the 49ers have five first-round draftees on their defensive line: Bosa, Thomas, DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead and Dee Ford.
Unless one of those is traded off, of course.
"They play extremely well in the run game," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of both Thomas and Armstead. "They can set the edge great. Tight ends and tackles struggle with them, and they'res till effective rushing the quarterback."
Shanahan also alluded to the idea of having three interior linemen, paired now with Bosa and Ford, rushing from the interior on passing downs should only benefit the Niners defense.
As far as the rumor goes, it's important to note this time of year is rife with rumors and reports, often from very credible sources. And as far as Lynch's response, it's possible that's just a cover up, too.
It's not the general public's business to know, per se.
But at least according to both Lynch and Shanahan, Thomas was never going to be a part of any trade package.
Yet with two more days of the NFL Draft on the table, there's always the possibility one of the excess Niners defensive linemen winds up being dealt as part of a deal, however.
Day two of the draft kicks off on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. ET.
